Mirror Image
by Waiting For a Flame
Summary: Lian is tired of looking like her absent mother. Finding out that she's Cheshire doesn't make it any easier. A three-shot.
1. Snip

"Lian, _Con Ơi_, you look more beautiful every time I see you," Paula noted with a grin as they ate _Bun cha_. "Just like Jade."

Lian smiled back at her grandmother, but it didn't last long. It melted off her face as quick as it had come, and she busied herself by swirling the rice noodles around her plate. Paula didn't notice, but her dad did. He rested a hand atop her head, smoothing down her hair. "I like to think she gets the beauty from me. She has my hair."

"Barely," Artemis said with a smirk. "Save for the color, the hair is _all_ Jade's. Wild and everything," she teased. Paula and Will laughed while Lian slumped in her seat.

Every time she saw her grandmother, it was the same conversation. Tears would come to Paula's eyes as she gushed over her eldest grandchild, always making a point to mention how much she looked like her absent mother. When she was younger, Lian treasured the compliment. Back then, her dad kept her mother's memory as active in her life as he could. He would tell her anything she wanted to know about Jade, they drew pictures for her. Every night as he'd put her to bed, he'd tell her how much Jade loved her, and missed her.

Back then, Lian had believed him.

Her mother didn't show up for any of her birthdays, but presents did. She didn't attend parent-teacher conferences, or rub her back when she was up all night with a stomach bug. Lian remembered the days where she missed her mother so much it would hurt. Days where she'd lost it and cried into her father's shoulder, begging him to tell her to come home, that she wanted her. Her dad could do nothing but hold her tight, saying she'd be home soon.

It had been years since she cried about her mother. Lian couldn't remember her if she tried. Her dad claimed that Jade had left when she was two, but it never helped. All she had to go by was a handful of pictures and a letter that came on her birthday. It was never enough.

"Where is she?" Lian blurted before she could stop herself.

The smile on Artemis' face transformed into a look of unease. Will cleared his throat before resuming to eat. "You know where she is, Lian. We've talked about it."

Lian pouted. "'Away on a mission' isn't a location. And what kind of mission takes six years?"

"Six already?" Artemis muttered. Will narrowed his eyes at her until she resumed eating.

"We can talk about this later, right now you're being a little rude to your _Bà ngoại_," Will pointed out, nodding to Paula who shook her head.

"If she wants to talk about Jade, we can. It isn't a problem, Will," she said, giving her only granddaughter a smile and squeezing her hand.

"Not at the dinner table," he insisted. "Could you pass the chili oil?"

"Why?" Artemis scoffed, holding the jar just out of reach. "We both know you have the spice tolerance of a toddler."

"Artemis," Paula warned before she grinned. "If he wants to choke on his food, we have to let him."

Lian did her best to keep from giggling, but she couldn't. She suppressed it quick as Will rolled his eyes and reached over, snatching the jar out of Artemis' hands. "Laugh all you want, but I like the heat. And Paula, I expected better out of you," he chided.

"Jade had to get it from somewhere, didn't she?" Paula said, winking at Lian before sipping from her glass of water. Lian dimmed again at the mention of her mother, which wiped the smile off Will's face. Before she could push her food away, her dad took her hand, squeezing tight. She glanced up at him, recognizing the apology in his eyes.

For now, she'd take it.

* * *

"Your birthday's next week."

Lian looked up from her cereal when her dad spoke, grinning a bit. "Yeah, it is. You remembered this year," she teased.

Will waved his spatula at her. "That was one time, Li. Are you ever going to let that go?"

"Nope," Lian chirped, shoveling another spoonful of Lucky Charms into her mouth. Two days before her seventh birthday, he'd been called in for a league emergency. Lian had been deposited into her aunt's care, and he hadn't made it until the day after. She wasn't really angry at her dad, she just liked to tease him every year.

"Your prerogative, I guess. I made up for it, didn't I?" he muttered as he flipped over his omelet.

"Mhm," Lian said with a mouthful of rainbow marshmallows. Once she swallowed, she pushed forward her near-empty bowl and puffed her chest with pride. "Still got the bow and arrows to prove it."

Will turned off the stove and poured his omelet out on a plate before sitting across from Lian. She stuck her tongue out at him before finishing off her orange juice. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before her dad stopped eating and folded his hands on top of the table. "I got a call last night. From your mother."

Lian's eyes widened a bit, just like they did every time her mother called. Her calls were rare, only coming every few months or so. Jade usually called late, but her dad never missed a call. He would always tell Lian the details over breakfast.

"What did she say?" Lian asked, sitting on her knees and messing with a lock of hair that had fallen by her waist.

"The usual," Will said, scratching his beard. "And something… not the usual. She wants to come, for your birthday." Lian was sure she'd misheard him. When she was younger, Jade would promise to come as soon as she could. She never did.

"Right. She wants to come, but she can't. Something came up," Lian sighed, using the same excuse her father would tell her every time.

"Not this time, Li. She booked her ticket and everything. Told me she has a suitcase full of presents for you." The frown on Lian's face began transforming into a smile. Will did his best to keep his composure, but even she could tell he was excited. This was actually happening.

"You're serious?"

"I'd never joke about this, Sweetheart." Her dad reached out and cupped her face, squeezing gently. "She's coming."

* * *

"You're sure she's coming?" Lian asked for the sixth time that week. Will shot her a warning look from putting away Harry Potter on her bookshelf. She relented and flopped back onto her pillows, grinning ear to ear. "Sorry, sorry. I'm just…"

"Excited?" Will asked with a knowing grin.

"Yeah," Lian said. She pulled her cheshire cat into her arms and squeezed it tight. It had been a present for her third birthday, the first one spent without her mother. It was surreal to think that tomorrow, she'd finally be seeing her.

"Well, hone that in," her dad warned, sitting on the edge of her mattress. "Save some of it for when you actually see her."

"I know, I know. I just can't help it!"

"Well, you'll have to. She won't be here until tomorrow."

"On my birthday," Lian emphasized.

"Right, on your birthday. Your ninth birthday," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You grew up way too fast, Kiddo. You gotta cut it out."

"No can do, Mister." Will chuckled and kissed her forehead, pulling up the covers to tuck her in. Lian stopped him, grabbing his arm. "Not yet, please," she begged. "I'm not tired."

"It's past your bedtime."

"I'm too excited to sleep. I'm finally gonna see Mama." Her dad softened as she spoke, unable to argue with that logic. Not when it was true. "Will you tell me about her?"

Will shook his head, looking to the clock. "It's late, and you have school."

Lian pouted, using the special one she only reserved for when she really wanted something. "Please, Daddy?"

"Oh, so now I'm Daddy," he sighed. She'd outgrown calling him 'Daddy' a little while ago. Now she only used it when she really wanted to butter him up. Lian thought he'd turn her down, but to her surprise and utter delight, he got comfortable beside her. "Just this once. What do you want to know?"

"What don't I want to know?" Lian countered. "We never talk about her."

"Fair enough." Will hummed to himself before looking up to the ceiling. "She's funny. Like your _Bà ngoại _and Artemis. Maybe even more so," he began.

"So that's where I get it from."

Her dad raised a brow. "Hey, I'm plenty funny. You laugh at all my jokes."

"Sure, Dad. Go on, tell me more," Lian insisted.

"Fine, but I'll remember that. Let's see… oh, she can kick my ass. Really, really badly," Will admitted as Lian giggled. "And she's an awful cook. Seriously. When she lived here, I had to do all the cooking. Everything she cooks either tastes like cardboard, or is burnt to a crisp."

"I can cook," Lian said, toying with the tail of her cheshire plush.

"Good thing you got that from me," Will teased before he looked at his daughter. "She's beautiful, you know. I know everyone's said it before, but you really do look just like her. More and more as you get older," he said quietly, stroking her hair for a brief moment.

For once, Lian didn't feel bitter at the compliment. "You really think so?"

"Have you seen a picture of her, Li? It's like a mirror image. Besides, I know so. Would I ever lie to you?"

"You lied about finishing my Thin Mints two weeks ago."

"Hey," Will defended, holding up his hands. "As your dad, it is my God-given right to finish your Girl Scout cookies if you haven't touched them in months."

Lian scoffed. "I was saving them!"

"Months, Lian. Months," he emphasized before he tickled her. "Alright, now it's really bedtime. You can talk Jade's ear off tomorrow, she'll tell you everything." Lian didn't protest as he got up and tucked her in again. He kissed her forehead and she his cheek before he got up to turn the lights off.

"Daddy?"

Will paused by the door, hand on the knob. "Hm?"

"Do you think she missed me?" she asked, voice hardly above a squeak.

"More than anything, Lian. That I can promise you."

* * *

School had never been so nightmarishly long.

Lian had to keep from bouncing in her seat, but the day was taking forever. Her morning had started with her usual birthday breakfast, strawberry pancakes with lots of whipped cream and Nutella. Before she'd left for school, she'd already gotten six phone calls from all her various aunts and uncles. Normally, this would be enough to start off her birthday, but it all seemed like petty change compared to what was to come.

According to her dad, her mom's flight was landing at five. He would be taking a half day at work so he could cook a special birthday dinner before going to pick her up from the airport. Lian just couldn't believe that when she finally returned home today, she'd see her mother. It was agony to sit in class, to take a spelling test, even practice her roundhouse kicks when today was finally the day.

She couldn't contain her excitement when she met her dad in the waiting area of the Karate studio. Will had made it in time to watch her win a sparring match, and she was radiating with adrenaline when she ran up to him. "Dad!" she exclaimed, hugging him around the middle. "Did you see me win?"

"I did," he said, kissing her head. "You crushed it."

"Why didn't you bring Mama?" she asked, craning her neck in case she missed her. "Or are we meeting her at home?"

"Lian, Baby," her dad began, his brow furrowing. Lian knew what that meant before he said it.

"She didn't come," she finished, her excitement washing away. "Mama didn't come."

"No, she didn't. Something came up," he said, smoothing her bangs away from her face. "She says she's sorry."

"She's always sorry."

Will sighed and picked her backpack up for her. "I'm sorry, too. I know how much you were looking forward to it."

Lian didn't answer. What could she say? Her mom visiting was too good to be true. Instead of answering, she followed him into the car, trying her best to wipe away the tears as she stared out the window on the ride home.

* * *

"Did your dad say why?" Amistad asked, popping a Cheeto into his mouth. Lian sighed, shaking her head. When her mood hadn't picked up after a week, her dad enforced a mandatory playdate at their house. He'd gone to deal with a problem at Bowhunter and promised to bring back a pizza, so for the meantime they were alone.

Lian shrugged, pulling her knees to her chest and leaning her chin on top. "Just the same excuse. Something came up."

"What came up that's more important than your birthday?" Jennifer asked with a scoff. "Rude, if you ask me." Anissa nudged her younger sister in the ribs. "What she _means_ to say is that we're sorry."

"Maybe she's on a mission," Dawn suggested, twirling a pigtail around her finger. Don nodded, stealing the Cheeto bag from Amistad and pulling out a handful. "Yeah, maybe it was a really good reason."

"She's been on a mission for almost seven years," Lian muttered.

"That's a good reason, then," Anissa said, squeezing her shoulder. "Is it top-secret?"

"I guess. My dad doesn't tell me anything about what she does," she said glumly.

Amistad licked his fingers free of Cheeto dust. "Why don't you find out?" When all he received was a confused look from the redhead, he rolled his eyes. "Look her up in the Justice League system. Duh."

"And how are we gonna do that, genius?" Jennifer asked, hands on her hips. "Do you see a database around here anywhere?"

"Will's laptop is in the kitchen," he answered as if it were the most obvious thing.

Lian glared at him. "Are you crazy? I can't hack my dad's laptop."

"No, but Jennifer can."

All eyes shifted onto Jennifer Pierce. She shook her head. "Uh uh. No way. I am not risking my butt just because you all want to break some rules."

Anissa frowned. "I'll tell Mom it was you who broke her favorite mug."

"Go ahead," Jennifer said, her lips curling up in amusement.

"I'll give you two cookies!" Dawn offered. "Three and a half!" Don followed up.

"Nope."

Lian scooted closer to her, taking her hand. "Please?" she asked. "Dad's not even here, he'll never know. I just want to know who my mom is. A quick look, that's all, and then we'll close it and never bring it up again. I promise," she swore, holding out her pinky.

The older girl looked it over before linking hers and sighing in defeat. "Fine. But just two minutes, and not a second more. Got it?" she warned. When everyone nodded in agreement, she lead them out to the kitchen, firing up Will's laptop. They all watched with bated breath as she cracked his passcode and began hacking her way into the Justice League system.

"How's you learn to do this?" Anissa asked in utter fascination.

"Oracle. She taught a crash course."

"How come Oracle's never taught me?" Lian asked.

"Because I'm older and I got an A in computer science," Jennifer boasted, clacking a few more keys before grinning. "Ha, we're in. She was right, that was way too easy. What's your mom's name so I can pull her up?"

"Jade. Jade Nguyen."

Jennifer typed away before entering the name into the database. Not even a minute later did her pictures and information pop up. All the kids fell silent, trying to piece together what they were seeing. Lian's stomach twisted in knots, staring at Cheshire's mask.

"You must have spelled it wrong," Amistad said. "Lian's mom can't be Cheshire."

Lian couldn't tear her eyes away from the pictures. The one where she was unmasked, that was her. She couldn't deny it even if she wanted to. The woman in the pictures, _Cheshire_, was the same beautiful woman that everyone compared her to. The same one who left them, who broke every one of her promises because she would rather be a villain. Her stomach twisted in knots and she felt sick.

"Close it," she demanded. "Now. It can't be her," she said, more for their sake than for hers. The others nodded and offered words of sympathy, of reassurance, but it didn't remove the bile from her throat. She knew the truth.

* * *

Lian couldn't look at her dad when he came home with the pizza. Luckily, he'd been too wrapped up in a business matter to notice. Something had gone wrong with a potential client; once her friends had gone home, he spent most of the evening on the phone trying to work things out.

While he did that, Lian sat on her bed, glaring at a picture of her mother. She hadn't touched the pizza, too sick to her stomach to even try. She was trying to wrap her head around the whole thing, but she couldn't. Her mom wasn't a hero, and she wasn't on a mission. She'd left them because she worked for the League of Shadows. Her mom was a villain.

It was a lot to come to terms with in the mind of a nine year old.

She wanted to tear the picture in half, to burn it. Rage bubbled inside her and she wanted to scream. People knew. Everyone knew, her whole family knew! But they all just pretended everything was okay and even had the audacity to say she looked like her. Lian could taste the bitterness on her tongue. She was nothing like her.

Before she could think twice, she chucked the picture to the side and went to her desk, grabbing her scissors. Lian stood in front of her mirror, glowering at the reflection that greeted her. Beautiful, her grandmother would call her. Just like Jade. Everyone always said she looked just like Jade. Tears welled in her eyes as it repeated over and over again in her head. Same hair, same eyes, same smile, everything was her mother and Lian didn't want it. She didn't want to be like her. She didn't want to be beautiful if it meant she would look like her.

In desperation she grabbed a large hunk of her waist-length hair, chopping it with reckless abandon. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she kept hacking it, trying to rid herself of the one thing she could. Lian couldn't change her face, her eyes, her mouth, but she could change this. If cutting her hair made her less beautiful, less like her mother, so be it. The reflection got worse the more she cut, and she kept grabbing more and more until she no longer resembled her mother's mirror image.

A knock came at her door and she jumped, scissors and a chunk of her hair still in hand.

"Lian, I finished my call. Do you want some ice cream?"

"No. Go away," she growled, tossing both the scissors and her hair to the floor, panting hard and trying not to break down into sobs.

The door opened, and Lian turned in time to see her father frozen in shock. They stood in silence for a few moments, his eyes looking between her to the hair and the scissors on the floor. She could see the gears working in his head, his anger building until he finally narrowed his eyes. "Lian Nguyen-Harper, what on earth have you done?"

"I cut my hair."

"Great, now what we've gotten the obvious out of the way, will you tell me what on earth was going through your head as to _why_?" Will demanded.

Lian glared right back at him. "I didn't want to look like her anymore."

"Like who? Your mother?"

"Like _Cheshire_." Her father's face immediately fell, and Lian took a step forward. "Were you ever planning on telling me? My mother is not on a mission, and she didn't leave because she had to. She left because she's a Shadow."

"Lian," Will warned. "Who told you?"

"What does it matter?" she almost laughed. "It's true , isn't it?" Lian watched as Will struggled for the right words to say, unable to come up with anything. He gave up and crouched down to her level.

"It's true. Your mother is Cheshire. We were going to tell you when you were older." Will tried to touch her hair but Lian quickly stepped away.

"Who's 'we'? I haven't talked to her in years. I know the truth now, Dad. You don't have to keep the game up anymore. She doesn't love me, or you, and she's never coming home."

"That's not true," he swore. "She loves you, Lian. The fact that she is who she is doesn't change that."

"No!" Lian insisted. "Don't you dare. She doesn't love me, she doesn't love anyone." She paused, angrily swiping away a few tears that rolled down her cheeks. "Why is it fair that I have to look like her? Why do I keep having to be reminded of the mom I'll never have, when all she cares about is hurting people? Why do I have to remember that she doesn't love me?"

"Oh, Lian… Lian, Honey-"

"No," she said, stepping away from him when he tried to comfort her. "You knew, and you lied to me."

Will pulled back his hand and straightened up. "I was trying to protect you. I know you're upset right now. I know that there's nothing I could say to make anything better for you. So I won't, not tonight. You can be angry tonight. Tomorrow, we'll talk. Okay?" he asked.

Lian sniffled before she nodded. Will watched her for a minute before resting a hand on her head. "I love you, Lian. Whatever you tell yourself tonight, let that be part of it," he said before he left her room. She didn't watch him go. Instead she sank to the floor, grasping at the remains of her hair.

She didn't know what she could believe anymore.


	2. Mama

**A/N: Remember when I said this was a two-shot? I lied. It's now a three-shot. I hope you enjoy this ridiculously long chapter full of feels and angst and Harper family issues, because I enjoyed writing it. Feedback is always appreciated, let me know what you guys think!**

Unexpected visitors in the middle of the night were not an uncommon occurrence at the Harper household.

Though Will was no longer an active vigilante, there was an unspoken rule that anyone would be welcome at his house, at any hour, should they need it. Will didn't mind the intrusion, it kept him in the loop with a lot of the hero-drama. He also remembered what it felt like to be against the world, on his own. If the least he could do was offer someone a place to sleep and a cup of instant noodles, then that was enough in his book. Besides, how else was he to grow his ever lengthening list of babysitters for Lian?

The knock on his front door had come at two in the morning. Normally, Will would have been fast asleep, either comfy in his bed or with a TV show playing in the living room. Not tonight, though. He hadn't been able to even think of sleep after Lian's outburst; how could he? His daughter was having a crisis behind the closed doors of her room, and he could do nothing to help it.

Some parents would have gotten mad at him for leaving her to cry. The moms on the PTA, for instance. They would have immediately berated Will, insisting that the correct thing to do was to go back in and comfort her. They'd cluck at him and shake their heads, insisting this was typical 'single-dad' behavior, forever clueless. That's what he got for having a kid so young.

But Will knew better.

Lian didn't get upset often, but when she did, he could solve most her issues with a tight hug, some reassuring words and a karate movie marathon. This wasn't one of those times. He could count the number of times Lian had gotten to this point of distress on one hand, and a simple hug wouldn't solve it.

The first time she'd been this upset was when he'd gone missing for two weeks. Every now and then, he would take up a simple mission, if only to keep from getting too rusty. Sometimes the call of the chase was too much to bear and he missed the adrenaline rush of his youth. The mission should have been simple, in and out. Instead it had gone awry, and he and Roy were left on the run for a agonizing number of days. Lian was so angry, she wouldn't speak to him when he returned home. By the time he finally coaxed her into saying something, she screamed that she hated him for the first time. Two hours later, after she'd stewed in her bedroom, she came out and wouldn't leave his side all night.

In the rare instances in which she got like this, leaving her alone to self-soothe seemed to work out the best. It wasn't easy, though. Will kept glancing at her bedroom door, wishing that he could go in and comfort her. When the crying ceased, he figured she was asleep and allowed himself to relax. Then he cleaned. And organized. And baked. Jade had made fun of him for his endless need to be productive, but Will was certain it was part of his clone programming. He'd tried to quell it over the years, but the urge still lingered.

Will had just pulled a tray of triple fudge brownies, Lian's favorite, from the oven when he heard the knock on the door. Setting the tray down, he removed the oven mitts and wiped his hands on his sweats, heading for the door. Whenever he had visitors, he would play a little guessing game to try and figure out who it would be on the other side of the door. Most times, it was Kaldur. Sometimes, it was Artemis needing a break from Wally and the toddlers; though they didn't live together anymore, Will couldn't deny that he missed her presence around the house. Depending on the time of night, he had a pretty good shot at guessing if it were the younger members of the team. If it was before midnight or after five, odds were it was them, as they usually wanted to see Lian before they left. Any time in between, it was likely one of his friends.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair before looking at the clock. If Will had to place his best bet, it was either Kaldur or Dick, needing a cup of tea and someone to talk to.

However, it was neither.

Jade cocked her head to the side, hand clutched tight around the strap of her duffel. "Did I wake you, Red?"

"Jesus Christ," Will muttered, rubbing his eyes and wondering if she would disappear.

She laughed, leaning against the doorway. "Not a nightmare. Am I late?"

He removed his hand and narrowed his eyes. "Funny. I've forgotten how funny you are."

"It's a living. Are you going to invite me in?"

"That depends." Will crossed his arms, unsure yet whether to pull her into his arms, or shake her senseless for being so late. "Are you going to sneak in through the window if I don't?"

Jade laughed, coarse but light. "Thought I'd do things the easy way. It's not easy getting a duffel through the window, you know."

He did know, and he preferred the front door. As much as he wanted to let her have a piece of his mind and refuse her entry, this was Jade; his Jade. He knew that she would explain in her own time. Will stepped aside to let her in and returned to the kitchen to turn off the oven.

It was odd having Jade home. Will had a plethora of things he wanted to say to her, things he'd kept saved up for months at a time. Yet every time he spoke to her, or saw her, all his words flew straight out the window. What could he say that he hadn't said before?

Come home.

_I can't. You know why I can't. _

Lian misses you.

_I miss her more._

This is the last time we're doing this. You're either in or out, Jade.

_Mm, you're the one going in and out, Loverboy._

Yeah, when it came to Jade, Will wasn't always at the top of his game. His wife's presence tended to zap him of most logical thinking. Given that he only got to experience her a few times a year, if that, he wasn't one to waste it.

"Something smells good."

Will turned the oven off, grabbing the kettle and filling it with water from the sink. "Brownies. They're for Lian."

"Special occasion?"

"Crisis, actually." He could feel her eyes on him, watching his every move as he popped the top back on the kettle and set it to boil on the stove. Will leaned against the counter, looking over his wife. Jade looked good. Her hair was pulled back into its usual ponytail, covered by the baseball cap, but it seemed longer than the last time he'd seen her. She looked thinner, too. But… happy. He didn't want to hope that it was because she was home.

Jade took a step forward, gently grabbing his wrist. "Crisis?" She raised a brow, nearly smirking. "Boy troubles?"

Will rolled his eyes, pulling his wrist back. "She's nine, Jade."

"Never too early to start," she purred. "Boys are going to be all over her, you know. All that red hair is sure to attract them."

As much as the thought of boys made Will's blood boil, he couldn't help but somber at the mention of Lian's hair. "Not anytime soon," he said, taking out two mugs from the cabinet above his head. "You still like green tea?"

"Naturally."

"This'll take a minute." He nodded in the direction of his bedroom. "Freshen up if you want to. I don't think I put away the stuff I bought for you yet."

"You'll have to be a little more specific, Dear."

"Toiletries. You said you were coming for two weeks, and from what I remember, you're not much of a packer."

Jade took a step closer, almost pressing herself to him. "Will you join me?"

The thought was tempting. If it had been any other night, Will would have thrown everything off the counter and picked her up, closing the distance between them in a matter of seconds. It was pathetic, really, how much he missed having her around.

Will shook his head, stepping away from her and starting to cut up the brownies. "Not tonight, Jade."

He waited until he heard the shower running to finally relax, slumping against the kitchen table and resting his head against the painted wood. Of all times for Jade to show up, she just had to pick now. How convenient that she couldn't have come a day, hell, even a few hours earlier. They could have prevented this entire thing with Lian.

But now his daughter knew the truth. Will wasn't sure Lian would want to see Jade, let alone speak with her.

* * *

To say Lian felt awful was an understatement.

She woke up the next morning, laying in bed and replaying the previous day's events on a vicious cycle. Lian was often too brave for her own good, but there were occasional instances in which she were a little apprehensive. Like the time Artemis and her Dad had to coax her out of the bathroom before the school play. Or the time she'd had to give a girl an apology letter for punching her in the nose. Now she wished it were that simple. After what she'd yelled at her Dad last night, she couldn't bear to face him quite yet.

Instead she looked to the trash, where her cheshire plush lay, covered in a small mountain of red hair. Lian swallowed, messing with what remained on her head. Picture day was next week, and all her aunts and uncles would request a print. She would be willing to bet that this year's picture wouldn't be going in anyone's wallet.

From her room, she could smell breakfast. Chocolate chip pancakes, her favorite. She couldn't decide if it was an olive branch, or a bribe. Her stomach growled all the same.

They had to talk about last night, Lian knew that much. An apology was probably expected. As was an 'I'm disappointed in you, you know better' speech. Yeah, that was definitely coming. She thrust a pillow over her head, groaning and knowing that she was only making things worse by delaying. The grown up thing to do was to go out and face the music, no matter how unpleasant the consequences.

Before she could will herself up from the bed, a quick knock came. She lifted the pillow off her head to see Will poking his head inside. He gave a soft smile, seeing her awake. "Hey Squeaker. Thought you were still sleeping."

"If only," Lian muttered, making her Dad chuckle.

He entered her room and closed the door behind him. "Can I sit?"

"It's too early for us to talk about this," she groaned, putting the pillow back on. "I beg of you, not now."

Will laughed again, but to Lian's dismay he didn't leave. Instead her floorboards groaned as he came closer. The pillow was unceremoniously lifted from her head and set to the side, and Lian glared right up at the amusement on his face. "You wound me, Li. Really," Will said, climbing onto her bed and laying opposite from her.

Lian sighed and pulled the blankets closer. "Please. Not now."

"Not now," he agreed, resting a hand on her head. "Someone's here to see you."

"I don't want to see anyone, Dad. Not like this."

Will messed a bit with her hair and laughed, but not cruelly. "Yeah, not your best look. We'll need to fix that at some point. Or you could take another crack at it. I have clippers in the bathroom if you really want to go stick it to your mom."

"Ha ha. You're hilarious," Lian muttered, shooting him a glare. "I'm laughing so hard right now."

"I can see that," he mused, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Sorry, I shouldn't tease. But your old man has to get his kicks in when he can. It's not often that I'm not the one on the receiving end."

Lian knew it was true, but she didn't feel like owning up to it at the moment. "Who's here? Is it Uncle Kal?"

He shook his head. "Wrong gender."

"Auntie?"

"Close. Try… her sister."

Her eyes widened. "You're lying. You have to be lying."

Will sighed, pulling Lian into his arms and holding her tight against his chest. She didn't fight him off, her heart beating erratically. It couldn't be. Her mom wasn't supposed to be here.

"Please say you're joking," Lian squeaked, her throat growing tight.

"I'd never joke about this," Will said. "She came while you were sleeping."

"And you let her in?" Lian pulled away from him, sitting up and taking a shaky breath. "She's Cheshire. An assassin for the League of Shadows."

He nodded, following her lead and sitting up. "I know. She's also my wife. And your mother."

Lian scoffed, looking away. "How could you marry her? Didn't you know what you were doing?"

"I did." Will grabbed her chin, turning her face to look at him. "I made a lot of mistakes when I was younger. Marrying Jade wasn't one of them."

"She's a killer, Daddy! How could it not be a mistake?" she snapped.

"It gave me you. If we'd never gotten married, you wouldn't be here, Lian." Will got off the bed, shooting a quick glance at the trash can. "It's complicated, Lian. But I didn't fall in love with Cheshire. I fell for Jade."

"Jade left us."

"Maybe it's time you knew why." He rested his hand on the doorknob. "But not from me. If you want answers, you'll have to ask her."

Lian grimaced. "If you think I'm talking to her-"

Will held up a hand to stop her. "You don't have to. But she's here to see you. And for what it's worth… I really think you'll want to hear what she has to say," he explained. "I meant what I said last night. She loves you, Lian. More than anything. Cheshire or not, she's your mother. Leaving you was never something she wanted to do."

"You sure about that?" Lian asked, putting a pillow over her head again.

He shook his head; just like her mother, Lian had a flair for the overdramatic. "I am. You don't want breakfast?"

"Not if she's out there."

"Suit yourself. I'll put it on the counter if you change your mind."

* * *

Jade didn't particularly care for sweets.

It probably had to do with her upbringing, how her family wasn't well off enough to feed them sugar whenever they pleased. Lawrence would never keep it inside the house, and Jade hadn't particularly cared enough to seek it out. The habit stuck with her as she grew, and she generally stayed on a strict diet.

However, she always made an exception for Will's cooking.

"These pancakes are divine," she remarked from the kitchen, swallowing the mouthful with a sip of tea. Will returned to the kitchen, frowning as he looked her over.

"Wearing my clothes, I see."

"Not much of a packer," Jade reminded. Really, she couldn't deny herself the habit. There was something about wearing her husband's clothes that filled up a hole she'd left open for so long. The hole wouldn't close forever, but a temporary patch served its purpose.

Will scoffed. "You brought an entire duffel this time."

"I told you on the phone," Jade said, waving a forkful of pancake at him. "It's not my stuff. They're presents for Lian."

"Right," he sighed, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Just don't steal it this time."

"No promises, Red." Jade looked towards Lian's door before resting her chin in her palm. "I suppose she doesn't want to see me."

"Can you blame her?" Will took a long drink of his coffee, glancing up towards the ceiling. "She just found out that everyone's been lying to her about you. I'd be pissed, too."

Jade hummed, holding her mug in her other hand. No, she didn't blame her. If she were Lian, she would never speak to her again. But she was her mother, which entitled her to a certain amount of selfishness. She hadn't seen her daughter up close in seven years. Not face to face, at least. Will sent pictures when he could, and Jade treasured every one, but it wasn't the same. She was long overdue for a visit, and the thought of seeing Lian again kept her going.

If she would only come out of her room.

"Should I go talk to her?"

"Absolutely not. If she wants to see you, she'll come out. If not, then…"

She raised a brow. "Then what, Will?"

"Then maybe you should go." Her reaction must have shown on her face, for Will left the counter and joined her at the table, taking her hand. "It's not that I don't want you to stay. But if she doesn't want you here, my hands are tied, Chesh."

Jade snatched her hand away. "Don't call me that. Not here."

She'd been looking forward to this visit since she'd suggested it. Enough time had passed that nobody would think of looking for her, of wondering what she was up to. Jade had planned to spend weeks with them, finally getting to spend time with the daughter and husband she wanted but wouldn't allow herself to have.

"Jade."

Her fists clenched, threatening to break the handle of the mug she was still holding. "I want to see my daughter. It's been seven years," she said, unable to stop her voice from wavering.

"You think I don't know how long it's been? You chose to leave, Jade. You chose to stay out of her life."

"I didn't have a choice, Will."

"Didn't you? You didn't even think to try otherwise," he bit out, sharper than intended. "Rationalize it however you want, you left a broken daughter behind. She thinks you don't love her."

Jade swallowed; with just a few words, all the holes she'd attempted to patch over the years were torn back open. "You know that's not true."

"Don't I?" he scoffed. "You haven't spoken to her in four years. Why is that? A fucking phone call, Jade. Are they tracking those now, too?"

She pushed herself away from the table before she could let the tears fall. Of course Jade loved her daughter. The fact that she'd distanced herself from her had nothing to do with that.

Will followed after her, grabbing her arm. "I won't let you run away, not this time."

"Why?" Jade spat, trying to yank her arm away but remaining unsuccessful. "Were you not finished? I'm sorry, go on, Will. Go on and continue telling me things I already know!" She angrily swiped her eyes, refusing to let him see her cry.

She loved Lian, and that's why she stayed away.

If she saw her, or even spoke to her, she'd come running back. Jade couldn't risk her life for a selfish drive of motherhood. So she made do with pictures and letters and anecdotes from Will, eating herself up on the inside.

Will rested his hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry. I was out of line."

"No, Will." Jade looked at Lian's door, biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself from crying again. "You're so in line, you may as well be sober."

"That was bad," he chuckled, resting his head on top of hers. "Get dressed, we'll go on a walk. Clear our heads a bit."

Jade nodded, running a hand through her hair. "You think she'll come out?"

Will took her hand, pressing it to his lips. "She's more like you than you know."

* * *

Lian was always a particularly good eavesdropper; it's how she found out that she was going to Disney World for her sixth birthday. Will had learned to be extra careful over the years, but her skills only improved in compensation.

The argument between her parents was one she wished she'd had the tact to miss out on.

She sat against her door, knees pulled to her chest, playing it over in her mind. For as long as she could remember, her dad always defended her. Always made sure he had something nice to say about the woman who gave her life. It was clear that his anger at her was something Lian hadn't been meant to hear. She couldn't make up her mind on what it meant, and the curiosity was gnawing away at her.

On the one hand, her mother was still Cheshire. Still an assassin, still a part of the Shadows.

On the other, she was her mom. Even now, despite everything, she wanted to see her, to feel her embrace and finally get to know the woman who'd been missing for most of her life.

It seemed there was no easy answer to this dilemma. Lian almost laughed when she thought it, for she heard it in her Uncle Kaldur's voice. He'd probably have some stellar advice at the moment. Artemis, too. What she wouldn't have given to have them both here, so she could ask them what to do.

Lian heard her parents return a while later, both sounding in better spirits than before. More than once she'd tried the doorknob, only to chicken and pull away. What if her mom wasn't what she expected? It was entirely likely that the assassin didn't do hugs. All of Lian's expectations of rushing into her mom's arms, burying her face into her chest would be shattered. Worse, what if she wasn't what Jade expected? All she had to go off of was a few pictures, the real Lian might be a disappointment.

As she fretted, the clock ticked on; breakfasttime passed, and then lunch. Her stomach growled, but the nervous churning kept her from truly feeling hungry. Lian remained fretting, choosing to spend her time procrastinating instead of facing the issue. She cleaned her room. For once, she even finished her homework without Will having to remind her.

Somewhere between the fifth math problem and the last, curiosity won out. Lian could hear them talking, no longer arguing. The smells of dinner permeated her bedroom, and her mouth began to water. Worse came to worse, she could always return to her bedroom. If she didn't want to see her, she was sure that Jade wouldn't return. Avoiding her mirror, she changed out of her pajamas and into clothes. She definitely didn't want to think about what she looked like, at the moment.

A deep breath, and she left her bedroom.

"Careful, careful," Lian heard her Dad chide. "You have to keep stirring the meat, otherwise it'll burn."

"Remember when we had that apartment in Gotham? I nearly burnt the kitchen down trying to make chicken."

Lian's heart skipped a beat, realizing that it was Jade who answered. It really was her. She crept closer on socked feet, praying they didn't hear her. Upon reaching the kitchen, she paused, lingering by the doorway. It all seemed so surreal, watching the two of them cook dinner together. She hadn't seen her Dad _that_ happy in… well, ever.

"How could I forget? The oven was never the same."

"It was shitty to begin with, Red. We weren't exactly living in the laps of luxury, then."

"Just keep stirring, Jade. When it's all browned, go ahead and add the canned tomatoes. I'll be right back." Will turned and looked at his daughter, nodding to the living room. Careful not to make a sound, she nodded and led the way She was surprised he'd even known she was there; must be a dad thing.

As soon as they were well enough away, Will crouched down and gave a small smile. "So. That's your mom. Thought I'd give you a second before ratting you out to her."

Lian swallowed, looking back in the direction of the kitchen. "She probably knew. Shadows have… have super hearing," she said lamely.

"Nah." Will reached up, brushing a short lock of hair out of her face. "I mean, she does. But she wasn't expecting you. Do you want to come meet her?"

She shook her head, her throat growing tight again. "She won't like me."

"Lian Nguyen-Harper, you cut that out," Will scolded, both hands firm on her cheeks. "She wants to see you. And I'm willing to bet all my arrows that you want to meet her."

She smiled. "Even the limited edition ones?"

"Especially those. Now, come on." He stood back up, holding his hand out to her. "You can hold my hand if you're nervous."

There were many reasons Lian loved her dad. He wasn't perfect, but he always made sure she knew her feelings were valid, even if they were dumb. She took his hand and squeezed it hard as he led her back to the kitchen. Lian was sure the neighbors next door could hear how loud her heart was beating, and her dad was probably in pain from how white his hand was turning, but he said nothing as they paused just inside the entryway.

"Jade."

The ebony-haired woman turned at her name. Nobody said anything as Jade looked at Lian; the girl was sure she'd stopped breathing. Will let go of her hand and gave her a gentle push forward, but Lian's words were lost to her. She didn't know what to say.

Jade was the one to break the stillness. She turned the stove off first, wiping her hands on her pants before going over to her daughter. She was hesitant in her movements, as if everything were calculated. It seemed forever until she finally crouched before her. Lian held her breath as the woman reached her hand forward, caressing her cheek with a tenderness she never would have expected.

"You look just like your father," she whispered, her voice thick.

Will laughed, resting his hand on Lian's head. "I don't know. Everyone else says she looks like you."

"They're blind," Jade said, never lifting her eyes from Lian's face. Pictures didn't do her daughter justice; Jade couldn't believe that the beautiful girl before her was really her daughter. There was no way she had made something so beautiful.

"Do you two want a minute?" Will asked. "I can finish up dinner."

Lian wanted to say no, almost terrified of being alone with her mother, even though she was aching to. More than anything, she wanted to close the distance and hug her hard, but she refused. If Jade wanted to hug her, she would have already.

"I can fix your hair," Jade offered, smoothing it down.

"You don't have to. I was going to take her to a shop tomorrow."

Lian watched her mother roll her eyes, shooting her dad a look. "A barbershop is no place for a little lady. What do you say, Lian?"

The girl's eyes teared up, hearing her say her name for the first time. She nodded, sniffling and trying to wipe her eyes. Lian wasn't sure what she was supposed to feel. Her insides were still aching with the conflict of the matter, unsure whether she should get far away from her or remain close.

Jade grinned, squeezing her cheek. "I'll meet you in the bathroom. Give me two minutes, okay?" Lian nodded again, looking to her dad for reassurance before heading there alone. When Jade didn't move, Will rested a hand on her shoulder.

"She's terrified," Will noted, turning the stove back on. "Give her time. She's been waiting to meet you for most of her life."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jade asked, her hands shaking. "Why didn't you tell me about her?"

"I tried, Jade. You wouldn't listen." It was true. He'd begged her so many times to come home, that Lian needed her. She had refused him, placing herself on the opposite end of the planet just to stay away. Now she'd seen her; now she _knew_.

"What do I do, Will? She hasn't said a word to me."

"She thinks you're a master assassin," he smirked. "Don't worry, she'll be yelling at you in a hot minute. Just let her get over the initial shock."

Jade sighed, resisting the urge to twist her fingers in an attempt to calm her nerves. "I suppose you're right."

"'Course I am. I'm her dad," he teased, nodding to the bathroom. "Go on, then. Get to know your daughter."

"What if she hates me?"

Will could have laughed. "She asked me the same thing a few minutes ago. Relax, Jade. Just… be you."

Not the assassin, not Cheshire.

Just Jade.

She could do that.


End file.
